BBR appoints former Sotheby’s exec to lead US expansion
UK fine wine merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd (BBR) has announced the appointment of Jamie Ritchie as managing director of international and auctions, who will lead the business in the US.
Ritchie, who spent 33 years at auction house Sotheby’s, will join BBR in August. He will take responsibility for leading the merchant’s business in the US and Asia, based in Washington DC.
The announcement follows news earlier this month that BBR will launch in the US this autumn. Its planned Washington DC store marks a milestone in BBR’s global expansion. Ritchie joins the business to spearhead the new venture.
His newly-created role of managing director of international and auctions follows the launch of the merchant’s fine wine auctions last year.
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Ritchie held the position of worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s Wine & Spirits until 2023. He joins the business following his role as chief operating officer of BlockBar, a global marketplace for fine wine and spirits.
Ritchie will report to Emma Fox, CEO of Berry Bros. & Rudd. Fox described Ritchie as a “terrific and strategic addition to our leadership team” and said that the appointment highlights “our ambitious plans for auctions and our international growth”.
Ritchie said of his new role: “I have admired Berry Bros & Rudd since I first joined the wine business. The combination of tradition and innovation, along with their commitment to excellence, is why they are Britain’s oldest and most respected wine and spirits merchant. I am thrilled to be joining the team at such an exciting time of growth and opportunity.”
BBR’s plans for expansion follow on just six months after the firm announced it had entered redundancy consultation with 30 of its staff members in January, 7.5% of its workforce. The fine wine and spirits merchant said at the time that tough market conditions had led to the redundancies, as well as National Insurance hikes which were announced in the Autumn Budget. Read more here.
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